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For large business users of energy, an effective way to reduce overheads is to save with half hourly electricity deals. One way of doing this is to have these half hourly – or HH – meters installed to enable business electricity customers to obtain more accurate bills. That’s because their electricity usage is being recorded and sent to their supplier every 30 minutes, hence the term half hourly meters. Most big users of electricity will have these meters already. Also, larger businesses tend to have unique energy needs and, for example, they may be using heavy equipment or running production lines to higher levels than a smaller counterpart will do. Search for half hourly electricity prices In the search for half hourly electricity prices, then your business and a potential new supplier can access the data of your electricity usage to put together a bespoke offering. Since a supplier will be able to understand the detail of how a firm is using electricity, they can then offer a flexible contract that is tailored to their unique needs. As a result, large business users of electricity will be able to budget with some certainty over agreed energy prices or they could still opt for a variable price contract. If you own a large business and are wondering whether you have HH meters installed then you should check with your supplier. It’s also possible for a new supplier or a broker to offer a consultancy service that will check whether you have been overcharged previously for your electricity usage and the consultant can start the process for a refund. A consultancy will also help your firm reduce the amount of electricity it uses to help deliver real long-term savings. Attractions for half hourly electricity suppliers One of the big attractions for half hourly electricity suppliers is that they will be able to calculate peak times for energy use and recommend cheaper non-peak times to help lower bills. Also, half hourly meters ensure that the firm is paying the correct amount at all times for its electricity usage. Sourcing a half hourly electricity quote means checking with suppliers directly, but they can vary hugely in their offers or a firm could speak with experts who understand how the half-hourly electricity supply market works. That will mean contacting the friendly team at D-Energi who will be able to explain more about half hourly electricity deals and find a bespoke quote to help you reduce your firm’s overheads.

While most business owners will have a busy day running their organisation, appreciating a few tips on how to enjoy lower business energy prices could pay dividends. This means looking at your firm’s energy bill to understand the unit rate, the standing charge, and the contract end date. The unit rate is the amount your firm is paying for every kilowatt-hour (kWh) of gas or electricity you are using. However, achieving a lower rate from a new provider does not necessarily mean that you will be paying the lowest possible price for your energy. Essentially, you will need to consider how much energy you use and then find a suitable tariff that matches your needs; a low unit rate may be preferable for heavy users but smaller firms may prefer a higher unit rate but with a low or no standing charge. Standing charge from your business energy supplier This issue of the standing charge from your business energy supplier needs to be considered carefully and it’s the amount you pay every day for energy to be supplied to your premises. This price is fixed and does not depend on how much energy you are using. When searching for new energy providers, you will realise that business electricity suppliers will have a standing charge, but not every business gas supplier will do. However, even if there is no standing charge the cost of delivering energy to your premises may be included in the unit rate. In addition to the unit rate and standing charge, you will need to know when your contract end date is so you can switch to a new, cheaper energy supplier. Other costs for business energy bills There are also other costs involved for firms and their business energy bills, which they will need to understand before shopping around. One of them is the Climate Change Levy, which is a cost for every unit a business uses of non-renewable energy. Not every firm will need to pay the levy if they are not big users of energy. Also, most firms will be paying VAT at 20% on their business energy bill, though for smaller users this could be as low as 5%. If you are looking for more tips and help to understand business energy prices and how you can reduce overheads by switching energy suppliers, then it’s time to speak with the team at D-Energi.

The first step, if you are looking to get the best commercial electricity rates for your business or organisation is to source as many quotes from energy suppliers as possible. For comparison purposes, you will need to source quotes that are based on your current needs to find the best deal. This issue also extends to micro and small businesses since some suppliers will have specific tariffs to meet their needs. A micro business is defined as an operation with 10 or fewer employees and turning over less than £2 million per year. Also, a micro business must be offered extra support when switching suppliers and have more details about how their current tariff compares with the old one. Commercial electricity quote Your firm’s business electricity quote also needs to consider whether you are looking for a fixed tariff – that’s where your electricity costs will remain the same throughout the contract. And while fixed tariffs tend to be cheaper you will be tied into a contract until it ends and cannot switch providers before then. The alternative is to consider a flexible energy contract, so you may have to pay for energy upfront but there will be lower rates offered for this purpose – though should the price of energy fall during the contract, then this will not deliver any savings. Alternatively, it is possible for firms to install a smart meter, so they pay for the electricity they use or you could source renewable energy from providers and boost your environmental credentials. Considering electric prices between providers The next important issue when considering electric prices between providers is how the supplier puts their quote together. In order to access the cheapest tariff, you need to appreciate the unit price, that is the cost per kilowatt hour (kWh) of electricity used, plus the standing charge, this is a fee paid daily for the supply of electricity. So, while a potential new supplier may have a low unit price, they may have a higher standing charge, so your electric bill may actually increase when switching providers under these terms. If you would like more help and information on how to get the best commercial electricity rates, then you need to contact the experts at D-Energi.

One effective way of lowering overheads is to reduce your firm’s energy bills but how do you source the best cheap business electricity deals? The best advice for doing this is to know when your contract endpoint is and then terminate the contract when it’s allowed. The reasons for doing so are twofold: firstly, you will avoid being rolled over onto a ‘deemed’ contract, which tends to be much higher than contracts for new customers, and secondly, you will be forced to find a new supplier. It’s always important when checking quotes from suppliers that you don’t just focus on the unit rate per kWh since a potential supplier may offer a low unit cost, but have a high standing charge – so there will be no effective saving. Cheap business gas provider This idea of terminating automatically a deal with a current supplier also extends to those firms and organisations wanting a cheap business gas provider. Again, a business gas quote will have two elements, and you’ll need to focus on the unit charge plus the standing charge to find out what your overall annual cost is likely to be. It is also a good idea to search the business energy market every year to ensure you are on the best deal possible and are not paying more than you should be doing. It may also be a good idea to get a quote from one or more of the ‘Big Six’ energy suppliers and then find out what another potential supplier can offer. For those firms looking to switch, it’s also a good idea to have your current supplier offer a quote and ask if there are any additional discounts from each supplier you approach. Finding a new cheap business energy provider So far, we haven’t mentioned using one of the online comparison sites for finding a new cheap business energy provider. You could use one of these sites to get an idea of the market rate for your size and type of business, but you need to be aware that the site may not be searching the entire marketplace. The search for cheap business energy deals should also include the efforts from an energy broker who has a wide and deep knowledge of the business energy supply market. As a result, they may find better and cheaper deals for meeting your business needs, so you should use an organisation that has access to the entire marketplace and can then negotiate on your behalf and deal with the switch over process. This will mean speaking with the experts at D-Energi who will be able to answer any questions you have about sourcing cheap business electricity deals.

With so many energy providers available, how do you know which one will offer the best deal when switching business energy suppliers to meet your needs? All firms and organisations should carry out a comparison exercise every year, usually when your current provider contacts you with details of your next year’s contract. This is a great opportunity to see whether you are being overcharged for your energy needs and whether this is the right time to switch providers and save money. If you speak with the team at D-Energi you will soon find out whether this is a process worth undertaking because they have access to the entire marketplace and should be able to find a cheaper, better deal than you currently enjoy. Search for business electricity suppliers The search for business electricity suppliers is a straightforward one and for those who find a better deal, then you need to be reassured that the switchover process means there is no loss of energy to your business when this is begun. Unfortunately, around 40% of firms in the UK than ever bothered switching, according to a UK government survey, which means they are probably paying more than is necessary for their energy needs. This may just be down to being too busy or complacent because the energy supply market can appear to be complicated and confusing. In addition to the wide range of potential suppliers available, they all offer different services and perks and have a range of tariffs. Sourcing a new electricity provider for a business is more difficult than sourcing one for our home because the provider must offer a bespoke deal that is tailored to meet your needs. Business gas suppliers This need to have a bespoke deal also extends to business gas suppliers when they are asked to quote for your custom. Comparing these bespoke deals on a like-for-like basis becomes difficult because of the different criteria each supplier will have and you may need to understand the unit cost per unit of energy, plus the standing charge and any other costs that may be demanded. You could use an online business energy comparison site to carry out this survey of potential suppliers quickly and gain an understanding of what the market rate for your firm’s needs might be. Potential suppliers will need to consider where you are located, what your energy needs are and how many employees have plus what type of industry you work in before they make an offer. These online sites may not be accessing the entire marketplace and you will still need to speak with a potential supplier directly to ensure their deal will meet your needs. If you would like more help and information about how you can save when switching business energy suppliers, then it’s time to speak with the team of experts at D-Energi.

One effective way of reducing overheads is to undertake a business electricity comparison exercise between suppliers and switch to the cheapest provider. But how does a busy business owner go about doing this effectively? The short answer is to speak with the friendly team at D-Energi who can access the entire marketplace and with a few details and a few minutes find a new electricity provider. It’s also possible to speak with electricity suppliers directly, give them the same details and they will then give you a quote – depending on the size of your business and energy needs, the industry you work in and also your location. However, comparing the offers between providers is not straightforward so you may find it easier to use a comparison website. A business gas comparison exercise As a busy business owner, you will find there are sites to enable a business gas comparison exercise to take place as well as searching for new electricity suppliers. There’s no doubt that the sites provide a quick way of finding out what the potential market offer will be for your business needs. However, the site may not search all of the potential suppliers so there could be better and cheaper deals available that will go unnoticed. That’s not the case when you use the D-Energi team who will strive to find the best deal that meets your needs and also find a supplier to offer other valuable add-ons, such as a business energy consultancy that will help your firm reduce the amount of energy it uses to help deliver impressive long-term savings. Undertake a business energy comparison exercise All firms and organisations should undertake a business energy comparison exercise every year to ensure that they are in control of their overheads and that these costs will not run out of control, particularly in a cold winter when the gas bill may rocket in value. For most firms, their energy bills are one of their biggest outgoings so it makes sense to check every year and this may be a rewarding exercise if you access a great deal and reduce your energy costs substantially. But you won’t be able to do that unless you begin the search and the best time is when your current supplier gets in touch with your next year’s deal. Also, if you haven’t switched for several years then you may have been moved to a deemed contract, which is more expensive but you won’t have to pay penalty fees to leave this contract. For more help and advice about how you can undertake a business electricity comparison exercise to reduce costs, then it’s time to contact the D-Energi team.